Yes, it is not true that peonies need ants to bloom. The ants you see around peonies are most likely farming the aphid that gather on the buds to drink the sweet nectar that drips out just before the plants bloom. Peonies do not like to be planted too deep so not covering the crowns of the peonies with mulch up to the stem or neck of the plants and a second growing tip is not pruning the foliage until late fall when the leaves turn yellow. Peonies are long lived perennials that do not like to be divided or moved. These growing tips are more important than worrying about ants on your plants. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti